We are so excited to announce that the Philippines has eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus! Read this personal message from Kiwanis President-elect Poly Lat, a resident of the Philippines himself: http://bit.ly/2Bt1cDf

What a year we had in October 2016-September 2017!!! About $160,000 in gifts to the Eliminate project were received from generous MO-ARK Kiwanians to save and protect 90,000 mothers and their babies. Keep up the good work and our goal will soon be met.

Since 2010 we have been about the task of raising $110 million in cash and pledges to fund the work, in partnership with UNICEF, of a historic world-wide health initiative to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT.) With the help of Kiwanians all the around the world and a pledge from the Kiwanis International Foundation, we have reached our goal! For every donation, every pledge, and every donor – Thank you!!!!

However, our job is not done yet. Now, more than ever, we are determined to finish what we started – to continue receiving gifts and payments on pledges until the threat of MNT is eliminated. Already our gifts have eliminated the threat of MNT in 24 countries and the rate of babies dying from tetanus infection has dropped.

But mothers and babies are still depending on Kiwanis. MNT is still a threat in 15 countries. The mothers and babies in those countries are waiting for us to “fulfill” our promises—so we can turn promises into funding; funding into vaccines; and vaccines into lives saved and futures protected.

The end of this disease means the beginning of better health for so many of these families and a world “amazingly” improved.

Our goal in MOARK is to save and protect 1,000,000 women and their future babies from MNT. We are almost 80% of the way there!

Keep sending all gifts and payments on pledges as they are collected. The quicker the gifts and payments are received by the Foundation, the quicker they are sent to the field for the life-saving work of eliminating MNT.

A great fundraising idea

News

Magical inspiration

Danielle Castonzo | Dec 15, 2017

Six years ago, Jennifer Roberts walked into the Colombia, Missouri, Kiwanis Club meeting wearing a wizard hat and holding a stack of Harry Potter books. Placing them on the table, she said, “This is how we’re going to make money for The Eliminate Project.”

Today, she is the “head muggle” for Harry Potter Trivia night, the club’s most popular and magical event of the year. In February, Harry Potter fans of all ages will gather for the sixth time to dress in costume, compete in Harry Potter trivia and raise money for great causes.

“It’s not your average trivia night,” Roberts says. “It’s very magical. Almost everybody is in a costume. Some people have matching team apparel made. They take it very seriously.”

Previously, this event raised more than US$25,000 to fulfill the club’s pledge to The Eliminate Project. In the future, the money will go toward Beads of Courage (a program for chronically ill children) and the club’s grants.

The event’s theme differs every year. In 2018, it's scheduled for St. Patrick's day, complete with leprechauns, shamrocks and perhaps some Irish tunes.

Participants set up their own tables, which they elaborately decorate with detailed props and themed desserts.

“You wouldn’t believe the work that these people put into it—it’s unbelievable,” Roberts says.

We’ve recently closed the books for the 2016-17 Kiwanis year and are pleased to share some updates with you regarding The Eliminate Project as we move one year closer to eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus - a deadly, preventable disease that still claims the lives of 34,000 newborns each year.

We’re winning the fight! The Philippines has recently been validated for MNT elimination, making it the third country to eliminate MNT in 2017, following Ethiopia and Haiti, and the 24th country to achieve elimination since Kiwanis International began The Eliminate Project in partnership with UNICEF. Because of your steadfast support, the entire Western Hemisphere is now MNT-free. Only 15 countries remain at-risk. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do to save the lives of mothers and babies worldwide.

Monthly reports - You may have noticed that you did not receive your monthly report as scheduled in November. We apologize for the delay but are glad to announce that monthly reports are now online and can be accessed at www.theeliminateproject.org/ district reports. We hope this will be a good tool for you, your volunteers, and your district leaders. The reports will be available on or around the 15th of each month.

The Eliminate Project website - We’ve received a number of questions recently regarding The Eliminate Project website. As you may know, at the conclusion of the active fundraising phase of The Eliminate Project in December 2015, updated information pertaining to The Eliminate Project shifted to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund site. We are planning a redesign of both sites in 2018 and will gradually begin using The Eliminate Project site again very soon. We’ll keep you informed as we make changes.

Urgent funding need (Guinea) - Guinea faces several major challenges to achieve MNT elimination. The routine immunization rate for pregnant women is only 60%, the country has low rates of skilled deliveries and has high rates of high-risk traditional practices that cause MNT transmission – such as the use of soiled objects or substances on newborn umbilical cord sections. To combat this, Guinea plans to conduct the first round of tetanus immunizations in all 38 high-risk health districts, reaching more than 3 million women. Funds needed immediately: US$1.5 million.

Urgent funding need (Nigeria) - Nigeria has been making steady progress in the fight against MNT. The South-East Zone was validated in October 2017; the South-West Zone is conducting corrective activities following a pre-validation assessment in May 2017; and now the country is focusing its efforts on the South-South Zone. The country plans to reach more than 5 million women in the first quarter of 2018. Funds needed immediately: US$4.7 million.

Pledge payments - Please continue to encourage clubs to send in remaining pledge payments and additional gifts as soon as funds are available so that we can honor our commitment to help meet the urgent funding needs outlined above. The support of Kiwanis International helps ensure that vaccination campaigns in the field stay on track. To date, we’ve received $77,122,799 in cash toward our goal of US$110 million.